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<title>however far away by Ella (yo_itsella)</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28183707">however far away</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/yo_itsella/pseuds/Ella'>Ella (yo_itsella)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>TwoSet, Twosetviolin, twoset violin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, But not from anything between them, Established Relationship, Just external forces, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:15:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>595</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28183707</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/yo_itsella/pseuds/Ella</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The worst part of being unexpectedly separated is the lack of physical contact.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eddy Chen/Brett Yang</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>58</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>however far away</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They're in different countries when the pandemic shuts down air travel.</p><p>Brett's still furious that he let Eddy get on the plane in the first place. Furious that he's the one who dropped him off at the airport. It doesn't matter how long the trip had been planned in advance or the fact that they'd binge-filmed enough videos for them each to have a week off while he was gone - the situation was already precarious and they were both so <em>stupid</em> to think it would be okay.</p><p>It sucks, but they figure they'll only be apart for a week or two while the governments and travel companies figure it out. Then a few weeks turns into three, then four, then five, and there's still no end in sight.</p><p>They figure out ways to continue making videos without being in the same room (the same country, the same <em>time zone</em> even), and it isn't the same. They never hang up their video calls when they finish recording, and the longer they're apart the longer they stay online together after each filming session. At some point they stop trying to fill the time with conversation; it's enough to just be present, hovering in each other's space like they always do while they go about their day, only now with a small window on a laptop screen rather than being an arm's reach away.</p><p>Brett grows restless by the third week, uncomfortable in his own skin and struggling to fall asleep. His palms itch. He spends hours every day with Eddy via video or text or phone but misses his physical presence fiercely.</p><p>He's never been the tactile one in their relationship; Eddy is always the first to reach for his hand or put an arm over his shoulders or lean in close to brush his lips over his temple. He feels unbearably guilty now about taking that for granted, how he so rarely initiated that kind of touch because Eddy always did it for him - he wants it but Eddy <em>needs</em> it, and the longer they're apart the more it affects the man he loves. Eddy visibly deflates the moment they stop filming, and he's clearly trying to put on a brave face but gradually losing the battle the longer they're separated.</p><p>Brett wants to reach through the screen and hold him so badly it aches.</p><p>Maybe he needs it, too.</p><p>He tries his best. He pushes himself to be as positive and entertaining as possible because it's the only thing he can do to keep Eddy from falling apart. Their late-night texting sessions start turning into phone calls and he's always the one to initiate them, always the one to speak low and soft and tantalizing, always the one the encourage Eddy to use his own hands and talk him through the rise and fall, hoping his voice and words are enough when he can't be there in the flesh.</p><p>It's not enough. It's never more clear than a month in, when their video call has gone on for hours and they haven't said a word for half of it - they've simply left the cameras running while they step away to practice or do laundry or order lunch - but they both sit down at the same time and lock eyes as well as anyone can through poor-quality webcams and a shoddy internet connection.</p><p>"You don't need to stay on, you know," Brett tells him gently.</p><p>Eddy's smile is sweet, and the saddest thing he's ever seen. "I know," he says. "But you're beautiful and I'm lonely."</p><p>*</p>
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